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Denver defense stymies 49ers in preseason opener

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Super Bowl runner-up San Francisco 49ers committed three first-half turnovers, four in all, and missed a field goal in a sloppy 10-6 loss to the Denver Broncos on Thursday night in the teams’ exhibition opener.

Shaun Phillips scooped up D.J. Harper’s second-quarter fumble and returned it 9 yards for the game’s lone touchdown. Mike Adams added a timely interception as the Broncos began anew following that stunning double-overtime loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens in the AFC divisional playoffs last January.

With the star quarterbacks on either side — Broncos veteran Peyton Manning and third-year pro Colin Kaepernick — playing all of one series each, it was impossible to gauge how good their given offenses will be. Everybody realizes if these teams were to play a meaningful matchup it could really be something, though.